Dock plate



T. O. PALMER Jan. 26, 1954 DOCK PLATE Filed April 29, 1949 'llmu IIIII Patented Jan. 26, 1954 STATES :ATENZT GFFICE 4 Claims- This invention relates to dock plates or the plates usually found on freight docks for bridging the gaps usually found in truckways between the dock and cars or trucks for loading and unloading freight from the dock to cars and vice versa.

Old boiler plate and other improvisions have commonly been used with indifferent success and at a high cost of labor and time. Material handling in recent years has been given greatly increased attention resulting in a largeil increased use of power trucks with rnuch heavier loads. Fire and explosion hazards in handling have also received careful attention.

It is the particular object of the present invention to provide an improved dock plate oi l'lghter weight and increased strength, in which Jche longitudinal beams and transverse beams are meehanically combined in such a manner that the transverse beams are suspended from the longitudinal beams in addition to the welds which secure the same.

A further object is to provide a dock plate of the above characteristics and having sufiiciently low clearance to permit low hung power trucks to use the dock plates without clearance interference.

A still further object is to provide side rails with entry and exit areas that will guide the trucks effectively over the dock plate.

And the general object is to provide a dock plate of greater utility and lower Operating cost.

Other benefits and objects will be disclosed in the following descriptions and drawings in which:

Fig. 1 is a plan view of the dock plate of the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a side elevational view of the dock plate shown in Fig. l and illustrated as used between a dock and car with parts thereof broken away and in section;

Fig. 3 is a transverse cross sectional view of the dock plate as it would appear along the section line 3-3 of Fig. l; and

Fig. li shows a fragmentary perspective view of a portion of a dock plate illustrating a modified construction of the s pported beam connections.

In referring now to the drawing, especially to Figs. 1 to 3, there is shown a dock plate comprising side or longitudinal beams it which are preferably of channel shape, but which inay be of other structural shapes. Transverse beams 12 which are also preferably of channel shape but which also may be of other forms are combined with the longitudinal channels lll for supporting the fioor plate H. The transverse beams |2 may be suspended from the longitudinal beams in the manner shown in Fig. 3 or in the manner shown in Fig. 4.

In referring first to Fig. 3, it Will be noted that the cross channels l are cut away at their lower ends as indicated at ta providing reduced ends which rest upon the lower fianges lea of the side channels I which are directed with their fianges face to face in spaced relation at the marginal sides of the dock plate l l. Thus the cross beams [2 are mechanically suspended from the longitudinal beams lil which extend across the load spanning gap and support the load. To maintain the side and cross beams |2 in place, the reduced ends of the cross beams are welded to the side channels lt. Thus the strength of the dock plate is materially increased over prior Structures involving only a weld connection. The welds contribute to establish the predetermined arrangement of the beams and fix the floor in relation thereto. While the welded joints also add to the strength of the beam joints, this invention includes the further advantage of having certain of the beams such as ii? disposed in saddled and transverse relation by resting upon the beams iil at the fianges lila while the transverse beams l2 thus support the floor plate in this underslung relation to the side channels IG. In this manner, the welded joints are taken out of tension and the induced load stresses set up by vehicles Crossing the dock plates cannot act upon the welded joints with the possibility of weakening the entire structure atthese critical locations.

In the instant construction, it will be obser-ved that the top fianges lb of the side beams IB extend above the tops of the cross beams l2, and longitudinally extending guide or filler plates H3 are Secured to the top fianges llb and the floor plate H the latter being welded to the cross beams. Thus an elevation in the form of a closed box rail is provided upon each side of the dock plate. These box rails serve as guard rails or barriers for truck wheels and also as strengthening means for the dock plate.

Fig. 4 shows a modification of the invention in which the transverse or cross beams are shown as I beams |2| with mortises or cut out portions l2c in the ends of the beain web for receiving the lower fianges lila of the side beams IU. The flanges Illa of the side beams are adapted to be welded in the cuts to hold the parts in assembled relation; however, it will be evident that the load is supported by the solid webs of the I beams.

The ends of the side beams Ill are cut on an ing function.

angle toward the floor plate as are the ends of the filler plates l3, the latter being cut shorter, and polygonal plates |4 are welded to said bevels and to the fianges |b and floor plate II to form downwardly and inwardly bevelled heads on the box rails that fiank the floor plate to provide approach guides for vehicle wheels. The side beams are provided With handles |5 having triangular ends and extending laterally outwardly of the beams whereby the dock plate may be readily carried. The front or approach end of the dock plate including the floor plate ll and the side Channels IO is inclined downwardly as indicated at IG. It will be noted that the left hand ends of the channel beams lll are cut away from the bottom to a point near the top as shown in Fig. 2, for support upon the support C. The end portions of the beams IO are bent down by providing V cuts in the bottoms of the webs that remain above the cut out portion. The ends of the beams are bent down to close the V cuts and the edges of the V cuts are then welded together. Furthermore, handles IS add load carrying rigidity to the box sections and the floor plate at the overhang of the deck and at the critical shear points to greatly increase the safe carrying capacity of the dock plate structure.

Such a dock plate is adapted to form a bridge over a gap L as illustrated in Fig. 2. It will be noted that the ends of the side beams are supported upon supports C and D at the ends of the gap L and that the end cross beams 12 depend below the tops of the supports and adjacent thei'eto and maintain the dock plate against material longitudinal movement under moving loads.

While I have shown my dock plate as of rectangular form, the front end may be widened to provide a wider mouth for the entrance of trucks. It is contemplated that the form may be varied as desired.

I have not described in detail the welding of the various parts as my dock plate is constructed. I merely desire to explain that the entire structure is welded together in a conventional and approved manner.

It will be obvious that my novel hanging bridge structure of the dock plate provides Optimum structural strength while limiting the side rails comprising the box sections to a very low height above the floor plate l E. I have discovered that a height of 1% inches will clear all power trucks and permit their sides to be pivoted over and extend in the clear over the side rails while effectively performing the necessary side rail retain- The thickness and weight of the various sections are varied in accordance with the service required. The side rails 10 are usually five inch Channels and the cross support members I 2 may vary from three to five inches either in Channels or I beams.

Although I may make my dock plate of steel and other materials, I prefer to use aluminum of stronger grades because it gives Optimum results at less cost and weight. Aluminum is also safe from dangerous sparking tendencies Which are present in steel structures. Further, aluminum is highly corrosion resistant and long lived. In order to provide proper traction on the aluminum floor plate, I cover the fioor ll of my dock with an adhesive cement having high traction characteristics.

Having thus described my dock plate, I now claim as new:

1. In a dock plate, a pair of spaced and inwardly directed side IChannels, spaced cross beams supported upon the lower anges of said side Channels and having their end portions welded to said side channels, the upper surfaces of said cross beams being below the upper flanges of said side Channels, a dock plate supported upon said cross beams and secured thereto, and filler plates secured between said dock plate and the outer edges of the top flange of each side channel to form box section rails to reinforce said structure.

2. In a dock plate, a pair of spaced girders having upper and lowervflanges directed toward each other, spaced cross 'beams supported upon the lower flanges of said girders and secured thereto by welding, the upper surfaces of said cross beams being below the upper fianges of said side girders, a dock plate supported upon said cross beams, and filler plates secured between said dock plate and the outer edges of said top fianges and forming guard rails said girders and floor plate being downwardly inclined at their approach ends.

3. In a dock plate, a pair of spaced channel girders having their upper and lowell flanges directed toward each other, spaced transverse beams having their ends reduced and supported upon the lower fianges of said girders and welded thereto, the upper surfaces of said beams being spaced below the upper flanges of said girders, a floor supported upon said beams defining a sunken roadway and guard plates secured between the floor and the outer edges of said top fianges for forming box-like guard rails for said road way.

4. In a dock plate, a pair of spaced side girders having upper and lower fianges directed toward each other, spaced cross beams having reduced ends supported upon the lower flanges of said side girders and welded thereto, the upper surfaces of said cross beams being below said upper anges, a dock plate supported upon said cross beams and defining a sunken road way, and filler plates secured between said fioor and said upper flanges of said side girders for forming guard rails.

THOMAS O. PALMER.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,017,927 Tesseyman Feb. 20, 1912 1,552,585 Synck Sept. 8, 1925 1,565,879 White Dec. 15, 1925 l,'735,590 White Nov. 12, 1929 1,778,667 French Oct. 14, 1930 1,922,02'7 Carter Aug. 15, 1933 2,089,891 Greulich Aug, 10, 1937 2,307,869 Tench Jan. 12, 1943 2,464A42 De Roo Mar. 15, 1949 2,496,4 15 Daniels Feb. 7, 1950 2,547,956 McDonald Apr. 10, 1951 

